KODOS THE EXECUTIONER (GOVERNOR NIKOS KOTOS redirects here)
NIKOS KODOS ("KODOS THE EXECUTIONER") Nikos Kodos was Governor of the Earth Colony on Tarsus IV from 2245-2246. He received the name "Kodos the Executioner" following his extermination of almost 4000 colonists on October 12th, 2246. EARLY YEARS Nikos Kodos was born on the deep space vessel Tempest, May 18th, 2205. His parents were the actors Vladimiros Kodos and Tzini (born Smaradga Boosalis), who crossed the galaxy performing at human and humanoid colonies throughout the Federation belt. Young Nikos sometimes acted small parts on stage with his parents, but eventually left them to study political science on the planetoid'' Marillion R'' in Gamma Quadrant. POLITICAL CAREER After graduating with honors from GQ-MR University Kodos took appointments at various colonial outposts along the Yellan Belt. He was elected Governor of the small but burgeoning settlement of Tarsus IV on September 22, 2245. MURDERS ON TARSUS IV In the summer of 2246, an exotic fungus, Quadro-dartilin, infected food supplies and grain stores of the Tarsus IV colony, killing many residents, and forcing Kodos to ration the few remaining uncontaminated stores. With many months before resupply ships would arrive, Kodos eventually decided to exterminate part of the population in an effort to save those remaining from slow starvation. On October 12th, 2246 he ordered 4000 carefully chosen men, women and children into the central square: "The revolution is successful, but survival depends on drastic measures. Your continued existence represents a threat to the well being of the society. Your lives mean slow death to the more valued members of the colony. Therefore I have no alternative but to sentence you to death. Your execution is so ordered. Kodos then had his police force sweep the crowd with phasers set for disintegration. When the massacre was over, 3987 souls had been killed at his behest. TITUS ARRIVAL Only two days later, a sub-space message from the Federation star ship Titus was received; help was just 48 hours away. That afternoon, Kodos and his staff went into hiding. When the Titus arrived, they found Kodos’ body burned beyond recognition. A Star Fleet report concluded that Kodos and his wife had killed themselves rather than stand trial. REAPPEARANCE Unknown to the colonists and Federation officials, Kodos had convinced his wife to commit suicide, set her corpse ablaze and substituted the burned remains of a bodyguard for his own. He was able to elude authorities and eventually leave Tarsus IV, taking a new identity and beginning a new life. ANTON KARIDIAN Shortly after Kodos died, a man named Anton Karidian presented himself to a small theatrical troupe on Altair VII, looking for work as an actor. This was Nikos Kodos, leaning now on what he had learned as a youth travelling with his parents. He spent the next 20 years as Karidian, tramping the near stars, playing Shakespeare and Gnour to appreciative audiences. During that time he gave birth to a daughter, Lenore. In 2266, Kodos was exposed by one of the few survivors of the Tarsus IV massacre, famous Star Fleet captain James T. Kirk. He was sentenced to life imprisonment on the Federation penal colony Tharius B, and died there, February 11, 2272. 　 　